Qiao Xia went to work in a daze, but she didn't expect that in the afternoon, a scandal about Qiao Lan would break out.
It was taken by a paparazzi from the company again.
The photo captured Qiao Lan passionately kissing a director.
Qiao Lan had just recently become popular, and scandals were nothing new for her. They wouldn't have attracted attention if it had just been her. But the director's scandals always made a big impact. His wife, a famous actress, made them a model couple in the industry, and their recent divorce news had also been buzzing.
Once the scandal was released, it spread like wildfire, and Qiao Lan's Weibo was flooded with criticism.
"Qiao Xia, I never thought you would stoop to fabricating such an ugly rumor about me. I hate you, and I won't let you get away with this."
Qiao Lan called her, crying hysterically, her voice filled with hatred.
Qiao Xia had no defense and no desire to explain.
This news hadn't come from her. Whenever something went wrong for Qiao Lan, she always thought Qiao Xia was to blame—be it poor exam results or unrequited first love—Qiao Xia had grown accustomed to being the scapegoat.
Li Hui made a call too: "Xiao Xia, I know you hold hatred in your heart, and I had my reasons for being with her. What good does it do you to reveal her scandal, and what good does it do me?"
After she caught him cheating, Li Hui's first call wasn't to explain or confess, but to accuse her for the sake of Qiao Lan.
Desolation filled Qiao Xia's heart.
"I'm happy," she heard her own indifferent voice say.
"I never thought you would be this sort of person," Li Hui said, his voice a mix of helplessness and disappointment.
"I also never thought you'd end up in my sister's bed," Qiao Xia retorted sarcastically. "Li Hui, all these years, I've never wronged you. I truly believed we could get married and grow old together. If you wanted to break up, you could have just said so. Why humiliate me like this?"
Li Hui said, "My parents would never agree to our marriage. You…"
"I'm not the Qiao family's precious daughter; Qiao Lan is. So, I'm not good enough for you, right?" Qiao Xia's mouth was full of bitterness, her eyes desolate. Was status really that important? Was his love to be measured by wealth?
"Xiao Xia, let's break up. Stop doing these trivial things, they really look bad," Li Hui sighed. "Someday, you'll understand me."
Li Hui hung up the phone.
Qiao Xia's face was expressionless, a single "let's break up" ending her love of many years.
Childhood sweethearts and innocent friendship became a thing of the past.
She was truly miserable.
If only her parents were still alive, she wouldn't have been treated so unfairly.
Qiao Lan's revenge was to announce her marriage news with Li Hui publicly—spouting nonsense, bribing a paparazzo to spread rumors in Qiao Xia's office that she was the third party in their relationship; the younger sister trying to steal her older sister's boyfriend. Only a few days ago, she had deliberately taken intimate photos to blackmail them.
Suddenly, the women in the office were gossiping about Qiao Xia, even openly mocking her without mercy.
"Qiao Xia, are you that desperate for a man that you won't even spare your sister's?"
"Yeah, your eyes are all swollen from crying. Did the man reject you, leaving you to cry all night?"
"How shameful! You even want to climb into your brother-in-law's bed. Are you crazy about marrying into wealth?"
"With a face like a vixen, she's just the kind to be the other woman. Shameless! I can't believe I'm working with someone like this."
Qiao Xia trembled with anger. Overnight, all the pressure and agony swept over her, breaking the last straw in her heart. She was on the verge of collapse. She had done nothing wrong, yet Qiao Lan had framed her as a homewrecker, as someone lusting after her sister's man and yearning for a luxurious life.
Qiao Lan, what right do you have?
What right do you have to hurt me like this?
She was Li Hui's girlfriend, and almost no one knew about it; not even her friends, none of them, except for Meng Qian.
But Meng Qian, who got along well with her in the office, stood up for her, which only intensified the ridicule.
"Qiao Xia must be delusional. How could Young Master Li possibly be with someone like her?"
"Stop it. Look at her poor and pathetic manner, as if Young Master Li would fancy her."
"If she's Young Master Li's girlfriend, then I'm Li Yifeng's wife."